Unexpected Visitor
by Abluvion
Summary: Gale stumbles across an unexpected visitor on his way to hunt. Gadge


I'm dressed in jeans today, pressed by Elly last night, with a loose yellow blouse over the top. It has a tiny flower stitched in the corner in white thread; it's so tiny you can barely see it unless you look closely. I've tied my hair up in a bun full of twists with a white ribbon holding my hair back from my face. Granted I look too proper for the woods, so I throw on a pair of sturdy boots I picked up the day before and throw the small pack sitting on my bed over my shoulders before tiptoeing down the stairs and out the front door. The sun is barely showing, but I went to bed extra early for this, so I pad along for what seems like ages until I reach the fence, out of habit I lean in close, and when I hear no buzzing noise, I pull up a bit of the fence and slip under. It's like the atmosphere changes and suddenly everything is pleasant and nice, the birds chirp and the trees rustle with the wind. I shake from self from my trance and head off for the thick cover of the woods. If I, the mayors daughter, were to be caught sneaking around outside the fence, I'd sooner be killed by a Peacekeeper than face what would be in store for me from my father.

When I reach the cover of the woods I lean back against a tree and sigh, breathing in the smells of the ever candescent forest. I've got about ten seconds before Gale rounds this tree and finds me here, spoiling all his fun. Usually, by now I would have chickened out and took off for the hill, but today I was prepared. I'm standing deathly still, and there's a marking on the tree that will tell Gale to round it and he'll see me. I hold my breath and count down. He pulls his bow on me in the blink of an eye and steps back, his muscles taut and ready, his jaw tight. I smile at him and he slacks off on the bow, slinging it around his back again, he groans and I know he's annoyed. He shoots me a look, lifts a finger and points back where he came, before walking away, his footsteps never making a noise because of his velveteen tread.

"Just wait a minute, Gale!" He whips around and stomps back, his tread loud and strange. He stops just in front of me and our height different is so evident now, he's towering over me.

"Go home Madge!" He's livid, his voice bubbling with poison.

"I don't want to." My chest puffs up and my voice is loud, but the voice in my head is telling me this is a bad idea but I push it away.

"Madge, I'm busy, I'll take you out a different day, promise." It's half-hearted and he turns to leave again, my hand shoots out to grip his. My tiny, delicate hand with its slender fingers fitted for playing the piano is so tiny compared to Gales; his covered in callouses and burns.

"That's what you said before, but it's easy to tell when you're lying." He groans and tugs his hand away but I don't let go, he's annoying me now.

"I keep all my promises." He looks at his feet, a sign that he's lying.

"Not to me, not ever." I'm hurting, and saying this now makes my heart pound against my ribs.

"Sorry." He mumbles under his breath and disappears. My hand is still warm from where his touched and a piece of my heart goes with him, following him into the strange woods.

I slump back against the tree, little leaves falling into my golden hair. Gale told me the woods were beautiful and wild, but now they just reek of rejection. I don't move though, I'm determined to stay here, wait for him to come back. And when the sun finally starts going down he emerges from the depths of the woods, his face bright, and his catch hanging over his shoulder. His face falls when he sees me.

He drops his catch and he approaches me, cautious with a curious look on his face. It's then that I realize I'm crying, the tears flowing down my cheeks, my eyes focused on him. He kneels in front of me and reaches a hand up to stroke my cheek, brushing away the tears with his rough thumb. The tears start coming harder then and soon sobs are wracking my chest and I'm heaving and struggling for breath. My hands are balled up into fists in my lap and I'm trying to rub the snot from my nose with my pretty blouse. I'm a mess but he sits and waits, watching me until I'm done. When I wipe away my last few tears the sun is just about gone and there's a soft glow, interrupted by Gale's silhouette.

"Oh Madge." His voice sounds broken and I wonder why.

"I didn't want to go home." The tears threaten to come again.

"I didn't want to take you hunting; I didn't want to spoil you." He says with concern ebbing through his words, a strange contrast from before, it appears he's had time to think.

"I've lived with death my whole life Gale; killing a few rabbits won't _spoil _me." Acid leaks into my voice, _what a sorry excuse_.

"Don't be like that." He snaps.

"Like what?"

"Like something I can't protect, I'd like to keep you for as long as possible." A blush creeps up my cheeks and I don't even try to hide how happy I am.

"You would?"

"Of course Madgey May." My toes tingle at the nickname, my palms prickling with sweat.

"Are we just friends, Gale?" _Here goes nothing, _I think.

"What do you mean?" He tilts his head and traces circles on my knee absentmindedly.

"Are we more than friends, _can _we be more than friends?" I've thrown it out on the table now, there's no going back. If he says no this is all over, we can't be friends, we can't be anything.

"I thought you'd never ask." He pulls me into his chest and he smells of the woods and sweat, it's a smell unique to him. He's warm, too warm even, and his chest is hard as rocks, but strangely welcoming. He squeezes me tight and brushes his lips across the top of my head, sending tingles down my spine.

"I've always liked you Gale." I mumble into his chest, my slender hands gripping the back of his shirt.

His chest rumbles against my ear and his hearty laugh bubbles from his lips, he's laughing at me. I push off of him and stare at him with disbelief, demanding a reason why he found this confession so funny.

"The mayor's daughter, of all people, liked me, a miner, for _always_?" He doesn't believe me, how foolish.

"Katniss always raved about you, how skilled you were at hunting, how kind you were to your siblings, your mom. How you singlehandedly cared for your family and still made time to be her friend. It was admirable." I mumble, my voice cracking, my face beet red.

"But what caught your attention?" His lips are pressed tight, trying to not laugh.

"Your smile I think, that was first, then your laugh, you didn't laugh very often, and finally, how you could love Katniss wholeheartedly, without any inhibitions."

"I don't!" He practically yells with his voice racing, the birds flee.

"I know, I could tell, after Peeta stole her away you worked very hard to stop." He's surprised at how much I know about him. He flinches but sighs, and I know I'm right.

"We sat together at lunch once too, you whispered to Katniss that I was ugly, I still heard you though." I add, recalling our very few interactions before our blossoming friendship.

"You're very pretty Madge, I should have said that, I didn't have to lie." He plays with a piece of my hair.

"I know you didn't mean my physical appearance, Gale, even though we were young. My personality was ugly to you, and I understood, that's why I didn't cry or get mad, it was understandable." He takes my hand in his and the warmth seeps into mine.

"You're beautiful Madgey May, inside and out." His smile is lopsided and he chuckles a little at my face, growing redder by the second.

I thank him by kissing him full on the mouth, it's my first kiss so I don't know what to do, but it felt like the right thing to do. His lips are full and warm when I press mine against them, he smiles against my lips and moves them with his, eager but wary. He pushes his hand up into my hair, shaking the little leaves loose, pulling my face closer. His breath is hot and heavy when he pulls away, his lips grazing mine, rough and chapped. He kisses down my face and down my neck, resting his forehead on my collarbone; his breath sends shivers down my spine. I play with his hair, his dark brown, almost black, locks. He holds my two hands in his and we stay like this for a while until the darkness engulfs us and he stands to help me up. We walk back together, our hands brushing every so often; his warm and mine shaking slightly. We wait, then slip under the fence and we part, he continues to the Hob and I start the long walk back to my home.

I stumble through the dark and when I reach my house I turn to see a light in the sky, followed by a great noise and the sky is alive with fire.


End file.
